Inflatable device



July 29, 1947- l.1.. A. wERRY INFLATABLE DEVICE Filed Dec. 13, 1941 Patented July 29, 1947 INFLATABLE DEVICE John A. Worry, Cedar Grove Township, Essex County, N. J., assignor to Kiddo Manufacturing Co., Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application December 13, 1941, Serial No. 422,797

3 Claims.

This invention relates to inflatable devices; and more particularly to inflatable notation devices, such as life belts, life vests, life rafts and similar life-saving or life-preserving apparatus, adapted to be iniiated by a highly compressed medium, such as gaseous or liquid carbon dioxide.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved inflatable flotation devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable flotation device having an improved unit associated therewith for introducing an inflation medium into the device.

Another object is to provide an inflatable flotation device which is compact in construction, light in weight, and can be economically manufactured.

Another object'is to provide an innatable life belt having an inflation medium dispensing unit attached thereto in a practical manner.

Another object is to provide an inflation medium dispensing unit which is readily operated at the will of the wearer but is so arranged that it will not be opera-ted inadvertently.

Another object is to provide an inflation medium dispensing unit which can -be readily charged, inspected and cleaned.

Another object is to provide an inflation medium dispensing unit for supplying the medium to a pair of compartments of an inflatable device.

Another object is to provide an inilation medium dispensing unit adapted to release simultaneously a pressure medium stored in a pair of cartridges.

A further object consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, whereby the foregoing bjects may be accomplished.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustratlve embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the vappended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational View of a life belt, with a portion thereof broken away, illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating, more particularly, an inflation medium dispensing unit associated with the belt.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View of an inflatable belt and an iniiation medium dispensing unit, illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown an inflatable life-belt I0, constructed of suitable material and adapted to be worn around the Waist. One end of the belt has a suitable buckle member II or other fastening means secured thereto and the other end of the belt has an ination medium dispensing unit I2 secured thereto. The unit is provided with a buckle member I4, or other fastening means adapted to cooperate with the buckle member II to attach the ends of the belt together.

The inflatable belt comprises a pair of length- Wise extending compartments I5 and I 6 arranged side by side. One end of each compartment is closed and is secured to a clip or clamping device I I which may be formed integral with or is secured to the buckle member II. The other end of each compartment has a converging substantially tubular portion I9 providing an opening for receiving a portion of the inflation medium dispensing unit about to be described.

The ination unit I2 and its arrangement with respect to the beltl II) are illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 3. The unit may comprise a cartridge holder having a body portion 20 provided with a pair of cartridge receiving casings or chambers 2| arranged side by side and parallel to each other. A portion of the casings is provided in the body portion 20 of the holder and the remaining portion of the casings is provided by substantially tubular cylindrical portions 22 projecting from .the body portion. Each of these substantially cylindrical portions 22 extends and fits snugly into the tubular openings of the respectiveV inflatable compartments. Preferably, the casing portions 22 are adhesively secured within the tubular portions I9 of the compart- Y ments and may be further secured by a clamping ring or annular band 24 positioned intermediate an annular rib 25, or the like, extending about the casing portion adjacent the free end, and a shoulder 26 defined by the body portion 20 adjacent the other end of the casing portions.

The casings or chambers 2| are adapted to receive a cartridge 28 containing an ination medium under pressure, such as carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, nitrogen or any other suitable gas. The cartridge may be of the conventional design and may comprise a cylindrical body 29, a semispherical closed end 3D, and a neck 3| at the other end having a puncturable sealing disc 32 secured therein. The cartridges are placed in the casings or chamber 2| with the ends 30 facing inwardly and the necks 3| facing outwardly. If desired, to accommodate the semi-spherical ends 30 more readily, the interior of the casing portions 22 may have a corresponding substantially semi-spherical surface 33, at the end extending into the compartments.

In order to insert, remove and replace the cartridges, the casings 2| are provided with an opening 35 at the end opposite the surface 3,3. These openings 35 are located in the body portion 20 and may be screw threaded to provide means for attaching a suitable removable screw closure 36. The closure may be a cap member, or the like, having a cover portion 31 and a tubular depending skirt 33 provided with screw threads adapted to mate with the threads of the opening 35. The casings, adjacent the threaded opening 35, are provided with an annular gasket 39 seated on a shoulder and adapted to be engaged by the free end of the skirt 38 of the cap, whereby the cap seals the casing opening 35. The cap may further be provided with a knurled, milled or corrugated shoulder 46 for facilitating manual engagement and rotation of the cap.

If desired, the caps may carry a split ring 4| seated, for relative rotation with respect to the cap, in an annular groove or recess 42 in the skirt adjacent the shoulder 40. Each of the rings 4| has an eyelet 44, or the like, adapted to receive a flexible cord, rope or wire loop 45 having its free ends extending through an aperture 46 in the body portion 2|] and knotted or secured together to attach the loop to the body portion. The rings 4| and the connecting loop 45 prevent loss f the closure caps 35 when they are unscrewed.

The underside of the cover portion 3l of the cap has a centrally located puncturing member 50 secured thereto, which may be a pin having a pointed or sharp end for piercing thesealing disc 32 of the cartridge and having a longitudinal groove 5,2 for conducting the inflation medium into the interior of the closure cap. The flow of the inflation medium from the cap to the casing may be facilitated by suitable spaced ribs 53 at the interior of the skirt 38 of the cap having intermediate slots or grooves 54, providing passages. The ribs 53 preferably extend substantially to the free end of the skirt and are arranged to receive the neck 3| of the cartridge, but will prevent the cap from being screwed on in the event the cartridge is placed into the casing with its closed end 30 facing outwardly.

A resilient conical or cylindrical helical spring 55 may be telescopedabout the Din and may have one end thereof attached to the underside of the cover part or the skirt of the cap. The other end of the spring preferably extends forwardly of the point of the pin and engages the neck or sealing disc of the cartridge to normally hold the puncturable sealing disc out of contact with the pin to prevent inadvertent piercing of the disc. The spring further serves to urge the cartridge into the casingY s0 that the end 30 bears against the means for effecting` piercing of the disc, about to be described.

In order to effect piercing of the disc 32 and discharge of the inflation medium, from the casing into the compartment, the end of each casing portion 22 extending into a compartment is provided with a pair of ears or lugs 60 spaced apart by a slot 6|. The slot 6| terminates in an aperture 62 in the end wall 33 of the casing portion 22 for establishing communication between the casing and its inflatable compartment. The ears or lugs 6G also provide means for pivotally mounting a suitable lever for moving the cartridge in opposition to the spring 55 t0 cause the pin 5D to pierce the disc 32.

While any suitable lever mechanisms may be utilized, a lever device is illustrated herein which comprises a lever 54 having a portion thereof disposed in the slot 6| and pivotally mounted by a pin or rod 65 which extends therethrough and is secured to the lugs 60. One end of the lever has an arm or toe portion 66 which extends through the aperture 62 and has its free end in the casing in back of the semi-spherical end 30 of the cartridge. The other end of the lever has a somewhat curved elongated arm 61 serving as a handle or manual gri-p for rocking the lever to cause the arm 6B to force the cartridge toward the piercing pin. Preferably, the arms 6l are located within the inflatable compartments and are adjacent respective edges of the upper and lower walls of the belts, whereby grasping and squeezing the inflatable belt at portions adjacent the arms 61 will elect operation of the lever device.

The levers 64 are arranged for simultaneously effecting release of the inflation medium in the cartridges into both of the casings. As will be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, this may be accomplished by mounting the levers for pivotal movement at the outer side of the casings so that the arm portions 63 extend toward each other. Thus, movement of the lever arms 61 toward each other will cause the arms 66 of each lever to move the cartridges toward the pins.

In operation, a cartridge 28 containing an inflation medium is placed into each casing or chamber 2| and the caps 36A are screwed into the casing openings 35. lThe spring 55 engages the neck or disc of the cartridge and urges the cartridge rearwardly into the casing whereby the end 3E! of the cartridge bears against the lever arm 66 and pivots the lever to spread the lever arms apart and position them adjacent the walls of the respective compartments. After the belt has been attached around the waist by the wearer and it is desired toY inflate the compartments, the edges of the upper and lower walls of the respective compartments are grasped and squeezed toward each other, whereby the lever arms 6l are pivoted toward each other. This causes the lever arms 66 to move inwardly with respect to their respective casing 2| and move the cartridges toward the piercing pins 50 in opposition to the springs 55. The pins are adapted to pierce the sealing discs 32 and release the inflation medium which ows from the cartridges to the compartments by way ofthe groove 52 in the pin, the slots 54 in the cap, the casing 2| and the aperture 62.

After the belt has been used it may be readily recharged and placed in condition for further use. This is accomplished byunscrewing the caps, removing tlie empty cartridges, inserting filled cartridges, and screwing the caps into place.

In Figure 4 a modified belt and inflation unit therefor are illustrated, which embody certain features of construction and operation of the preceding described embodiment. The belt shown in ,Figure 4 comprises a single inflatable compartment 'I6 having a tubular opening at one end into which the casing portion 22 of a cartridge holder I2 is inserted and secured by an adhesive medium and by a clamping ring 24.V The cartridge holder I2 has a single cartridge casing 2| and closure 36 therefor which are substantially similar to the corresponding parts illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, but differ slightly therefrom as will now be pointed'out. i

The end of the casing extending into the com,- partment l0 has an inwardly flanged end wallv 'H provided with a central aperture "I2 for establishing communicationbetween the casing and the compartment. If desired, the flange H and aperture 12 may be provided by a capor sleeve threaded to the end of the casing member. The cartridge in the casing is adapted to be forced against the piercing pin by a lever 15 having a dome-shaped head I6 at one end which engages the end 30 of the cartridge. The underside of the head 'I6 normally is seated on the flange 1|. The lever 'l5 further comprises an arm or rod portion 11 extending through the -aperture 12 and into the compartment 1U. Itwill be understood that this modified lever device and cartridge cas- `ing could be used in connection with a unit comprising a pair of cartridge casings, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The arm l1 is adapted to be rocked or swung in any direction whereby the underside of the head 16 pivots 4about the flange 'll at the point it is contacted. The pivotal movement of the arm Ti' causes the head 'I6 to cam the cartridge toward the piercing pin. Normally, the spring 55 in the cap urges the cartridge against the head i6 to maintain an annular contact zone between the underside of the head 'I6 and the flange 1I, and maintain the arm or rod portion 11 in longitudinal axial alignment with respect to the casing and the compartment.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved inflatable device and an inflation unit therefor. The inflation unit may be combined with a belt so that it will not interfere with the buckling or fastening of the belt. Also, the inflation cartridges may be readily removed and replaced without taking the belt construction apart. The devices for effecting release of the inflationgmedium are concealed within the compartments so that they cannot be operated inadvertently. The operating parts of the inflation units in accordance with the invention are sealed against moisture and will not corrode or be otherwise impaired. The units are rugged in construction and can withstand any rough usage to which they may be subjected. While the present invention has been illustrated in connection With a life belt adapted to flt around the waist, it will be understood that the features of construction and operation thereof may be applied to other inflatable flotation devices, such as life vests, rafts, boats, buoys and the like.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

6 Iclaim: 1'. `In'an inflatable device, the combination of |aninflatable member having a pair of compartments; va cartridge holder secured to said inflatable member having a pair of casings each adapt-l edwto receive a cartridge containing a pressure medium for inflatin-g said inflatable member, one end of each casing having an opening for inserting and removing a cartridge and the other end ofeach casing extending into one of said compartments of said inflatable member and being provided with an aperture for establishing communication between each casing and the compartment into which it extends; a closure for the opening of each of said casings; a puncturing member attached to each closure adapted to pierce a cartridge in the casing to permit the pressure medium therein to flow into the casing and `into the compartment in communication therewith; means in each of said compartments pivotally mounted on each casing at the end in communication with its compartments, said means bein-g adapted to move a cartridge toward la puncturing member and effect release of the pressure medium in the cartridges; and resilient Lmeans associated with and attached to each of said closures for urging a cartridge in the casing against its means adapted to effect the release of the pressure medium in the cartridge.

2. In an inflatable device, the combination of an inflatable member having a pair of compartments; a cartridge holder secured to said inflatable member having a pair of casings each adapted to receive a cartridge containing a pressure medium for inflatlng said inatable member, one end of each casing having an opening for inserting and removing a cartridge and the other end of each casing extending into one of said compartments of said inflatable member and being provided With an aperture for establishing communication between each casing and the compartment into which it extends; a closure for the opening of each of said casings; a puncturing member attached to each closure adapted to pierce a cartridge in the casing to permit the pressure medium therein to flow into the casing and into the compartment in communication therewith; and a lever oper-atively connected for pivotal movement to each of said casings adjacent the end in communication with said compartments and each extending into one of said compartments, said levers each having a portion adapted to engage and move a cartridge in the casing toward said puncturing member to cause the cartridge to be pierced and release the pressure medium.

3. In an inflatable device, the combination of an inflatable member having a pair of compartments; a cartridge holder secured to said inflatable member having a pair of casings each adapted to receive a cartridge containing a pressure medium for inflatng said inflatable member, one end of each casing having an opening for inserting and removing a cartridge and the other end of each casing extending into one of said compartments of said inflatable member and being provided with an aperture for establishing communication between each casing and the compartment into which it extends; a closure for the opening of each of said casings; a puncturing member attached to each closure adapted to pierce a cartridge in the casing to permit the pressure medium therein to flow into the casing and into the compartment in communication therewith; and a lever pivotally connected to each of said casngs djfacent the end in e'xhpoation With said compartments 35nd eah itendihg into orgie of said oompartmets,`s`a,id1eves having a. portion adapted to engage and rrlove cartridge eause the cartridge to be pierced and release the pressure medium, said levers being -pivoted -for movement toward each other and being adapted to be actuated by grasping and sc'iueeing ekteror portions of vsaid compartments adjcent 1 said levers toward each other.

JOHN A. WERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The f'olloWig refrencs 4are of r'c'ord in the l file f this bteti Nfb'r Numb-n 5 110,668 2,104

UNITED STAT-Es PATENTS l 'Name Date Fromm June 22, 1937 Geiger .7111119191917 Barker Feb. 1,1921 Heath Aug'. a, 1922 Manson Aug.30,193s Walel Dc. '7, 1926 Peterson July 11,1939 Markus' Mar.31, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britaim Nov. 1, 1917 Great Britain 1915 

